Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)Vietnam could fulfil the import-export turnover target in 2015 if ministries and sectors continue to effectively deploy measures to support businesses with restructuring and trade operation management, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh said at a conference in Ho Chi Minh City on October 12.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, export turnover is estimated at 165-166 billion USD in 2015, a year-on-year rise of 10 percent, while the import turnover is forecast to reach 171 billion USD, a yearly increase of 16.5 percent.
Deputy Minister Tran Tuan Anh called on enterprises to increase their competitiveness and study markets to adjust their trade activities appropriately.
He highlighted recent positive export signs such as Vietnam’s winning of rice export contracts with the Philippines and Indonesia, saying business associations, ministries and sectors should work together to optimise these opportunities.
According to business players, the most important issue is to develop the export market given Vietnam’s involvement in a number of free trade agreements.
He suggested ministries and sectors intensify the implementation of measures to improve the business climate, enhance national competitiveness and facilitate trade.
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hoa Sen Group Le Phuoc Vu proposed ministries and sectors design pragmatic programmes to help businesses limit risks, such as technical barriers in trade activities, while seeking to expand export markets to reduce dependence on several traditional outlets.
Sharing this viewpoint, Director of the An Giang Department of Industry and Trade Mai Thi Anh Tuyet asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade to play a more crucial role in supporting enterprises, especially agro-forestry-fisheries businesses, as well as boost key exports in the Mekong Delta in particular.
In the first nine months of this year, export turnover was estimated at 120.7 billion USD, a yearly increase of 9.6 percent. However, a reduction was seen in some sectors such as fuel and mining (down 45.5 percent), and farm produce and seafood (down 9.9 percent) due to fluctuations in the financial market, especially the increasing price of USD, and fierce global competition.-VNA
